Australia Business Visa for Entrepreneurs

Are you involved in business? As an owner I mean. And not just any owner but a successful one, with good profits track record.

So you've got the money and would like to start a new venture in Australia on your own or with other partners.

Can you?

You can.

What you need is a temporary business visa to get you started.

Once you have it, set up your business or invest enough funds in an existing one so that you have a sizeable ownership share.

Australia Business Visa - Business Owners - Is It For You?

Who are you?

You are a successful entrepreneur, running your own business. If you're not running your own show, you have a sizeable share in the business. Or you have a good investment history under your belt.

You are working on the business, not in the business. This means you are spending most of your time organising and managing the business and not performing just routine tasks. You're at the decision level, remember?

Your net assets are considerable and you can transfer them to Australia if you get the visa.

You have enough money to set up house in Australia and enjoy a good life.

You have not turned 55 yet.

Your English is at least at vocational level.

You can score the necessary points on the innovations points test. It refers to age, qualifications, knowledge of English, business skills, assets and turnover, personal wealth, innovation.

And, of course, you need to meet all the requirements that define you as a healthy person and of good character.

If this is who you are, then for all the nitty-gritty of how much money you need and all the details necessary to make a decision visit the Department of Immigration Skill Select website and check out visa subclass 188.

You can't just apply for this visa, you need to be invited. And you need to be nominated by a state or territory government.

How?

Express your interest by entering your details in the Skill Select data base. Australian state governments can then access your information and work out whether your business abilities and resources bring value to their economies. If yes, they could nominate you to apply for the visa.

Remember it is not only who you are but also what your intentions are that count for this visa.

So do you intend to own or be involved in the ownership of an Australian company, have a top management position in the firm and actively manage it?

I would assume so if that's what you are doing in your home country. You would just be transferring your focus and skills to another country and would be pushing the repeat button for what you have already been doing successfully.

If you replied affirmatively to the above you should also intend to actively contribute to the development of business in Australia. Some examples of what you could do are:

Employ local staff in your new Australian venture;

Get involved in international trade and export your products;

Replace imported stuff with your own products manufactured in Australia;

Invent or innovate - hey, we're living in the technological era, when much of the new stuff becomes obsolete in less than a year.

So, in a nutshell, you should be eligible for a visa if your entrepreneurial skills and efforts add value to the Australian economy.

This Australia business visa has a 4 year validity. If you are granted it, you have got your foot in the door for a permanent business visa, as a business owner.

Australia Business Visa - Provisional, What You Can Do

In addition to establishing and managing a company in this country you can:

apply to bring your family with you;

leave and return to Australia whenever you want during the validity of your temporary visa;

apply to become a permanent resident, if all goes well with you and your business.

What You Cannot Do

You cannot access the medical insurance national scheme, Medicare. To be able to access it, you need to be a permanent resident.